The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald. I love all of Fitzgerald's novels and the themes he deals with: the superficiality of life, the emptiness of many things, not finding happiness in wealth and being miserable if you aren't yourself.

BTW, I recommend something like this from Айрис Press. They have the original English text of the novel, but have fairly decent notes in Russian. Karo has the same sort of system: original text with explanations in Russian.

The King of Ireland's Son by Padraic ColumParadise Lost by John MiltonLe Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas MaloryThe King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord DunsanyThe King James BibleWilliam BlakeEmily DickinsonW.B. YeatsJohn KeatsShakespeare

Translation: "There was a movement - to learn the Western cultural canon - which took place in some leading American Universities in 20's. A student who respected himself was to read 100 books from a specially made list. Some Universities have remained this tradition up to our days".

It really depends on your tastes. I love all of Jane Austen's novels; and the Bronte sisters. Dickens has such heart and a great concern for much needed social reform during the time of his writing. Shakespeare, if English is your second language, might be a bit...ummmm...challenging.

Whatever you choose, all the best with your reading.

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I believe in One God, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.

Try Orwell's "1984", Vladik. It is a bit like Britain's answer to Zamyatin's "Мы". CS Lewis is another favorite of basically everyone, though I'm ashamed to admit that I don't know him as well as I probably should (I've only read "Mere Christianity" as an adult, though I read "The Chronicles of Narnia" series as a child). On the other side of the pond, you can't get much more quintessentially American than Mark Twain. He and Kurt Vonnegut are probably my two favorites, though of course there are many runners' up. I read a lot of English-language authors in translation as a child, so I feel like I kind of missed out on some of what made Roald Dahl et. al. so special, but apparently those are good if you like fantasy stories. (Not fantasy like "sci-fi", but I figured i should throw in some kid stuff since someone else mentioned the one about the catepillar.)

Also, if we're allowed to include naturalized authors of foreign origins (which we must be, or else the excellent Joseph Conrad recommendation by Achronos must be out; he was a Pole who became a British citizen), then I must add Khalil Gibran (Lebanese American) to the list. "The Prophet" is his most famous work, but I have several others in addition to that and they are all incredibly beautiful works.

Even if we have thousands of acts of great virtue to our credit, our confidence in being heard must be based on God's mercy and His love for men. Even if we stand at the very summit of virtue, it is by mercy that we shall be saved.